Rev. John Bachman

The Rev. John Bachman (February 4, 1790 - February 24, 1874) was a gifted, industrious man with many talents and interests. He served the same Charleston, South Carolina church as pastor for 56 years but still found time to conduct natural history studies that caught the attention of noted bird artist John James Audubon and eminent scientists in England, Europe, and beyond. He was a proponent of secular and religious education and helped found Newberry College and the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, as well as the South Carolina Lutheran Synod. Image File history File links Photo of John Bachman (1790-1874) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Photo of John Bachman (1790-1874) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... February 4 is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1874 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Charleston, South Carolinas Oldest City Charleston is an American city located in Charleston County, South Carolina. ... John James Audubon John James Audubon1 (April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was a Franco-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. ... Newberry College is a college located on an eighty acre (324,000 m²) campus in Newberry, South Carolina. ...

Bachman was a social reformer who ministered to African-American slaves and freemen alike, and he used his natural history knowledge to become one of the first writers to argue scientifically that blacks and whites are the same species. His accomplishments span a lifetime punctuated by the unrest of the Civil War--a conflict that caused him great consternation and may have brought about his premature death due to injuries suffered at the hands of Union soldiers. A civil war is a war in which the competing parties are segments of the same country or empire. ...

Despite his seminal achievements, Bachman is usually overlooked in accounts of important figures from the 19th century, and he is seldom mentioned in history courses--even in South Carolina schools.

Personal Background

John Bachman (right) was born in 4 February 1790 in upstate New York near the village of Rhinebeck in Duchess County to farmer Jacob Bachman (born 1761 in Pennsylvania) and Eva Shop; John had two brothers--Jacob and Henry--and a sister, Eva. The family is apparently of Swiss origin (probably in or near Richterswil, Canton, Zurich), but there is considerable disagreement among genealogists about the actual line of descent. (There's also a dispute on how to pronounce Bachman's last name. Some authorities claim it's "back-man," others say "bock-man." At Newberry College we favor the latter, but this is one question that may never be satisfactorily resolved.)

When still a boy Bachman served as secretary for a group that met with representatives of the Oneida Indians. He was an ardent outdoorsman from a young age and spent a great deal of time walking the countryside and "camping out." His father showed him a copy of the works of Martin Luther (left), which prompted Bachman to study the Holy Bible and Luther's life and religious philosophies. Some sources say he attended Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

On a trip to Philadelphia, Bachman met Alexander Wilson (below right), perhaps the first real expert on birds of North America. His volume on American Ornithology set the tone for natural history studies in the fledgling United States. Wilson introduced Bachman to Friedrich Heinrich Alexander (AKA Baron von Humboldt), the great Prussian botanist and explorer for whom an ocean current is named; these men showed Bachman that studying natural history was an acceptable vocation or pasttime.

Bachman eventually taught school in Ellwood, Pennsylvania, where he also became licensed to preach in a Lutheran church for the year preceding his ordination in 1814. From there he was invited to become pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church in Charleston, South Carolina, a call he accepted in part because he thought this southern seaport town would be kinder to his respiratory problems. He ended up staying at St. John's for 59 years!

Those six decades at St. John's--the church with the rounded steeple in the 1861 photo at left--were memorable and productive; by the end Bachman had demonstrated that he was a true renaissance man.

Although a slave owner, Bachman helped educate scores of Charlestonians of African heritage--an act both illegal and/or socially unacceptable in the antebellum South--and is said to have baptized as many as 90 blacks in one year, helping raise the black membership of St. John's as high as 40%.

Early on Bachman fell in with a "Circle of Naturalists"--a group of physicians and nature devotees from the Medical University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston. Included in the group were such scientific authorities as John Edwards Holbrook, Edmund Ravenel, Lewis Reeves Gibbes, Francis Simmons Holmes, and John McCrady. Together with Bachman, these men made Charleston one of the most productive centers for natural history investigation in the Western Hemisphere--rivaling even Boston and Philadelphia.

Bachman took tremendous pleasure from his scientific study of birds, small mammals (especially rabbits), wildflowers, and virtually any kind of flora or fauna. Eventually his reputation as a competent naturalist became known to John James Audubon (above right), the famous bird painter. On a trip to the U.S. in 1831--when Audubon was selling subscriptions to his monumental Birds of North America--the artist arranged to spend a month at the Bachman home on Rutledge Avenue (left), where began a lifelong relationship of affection and respect between these two men.

As Audubon's bird folios began to sell, he and Bachman conceived of another set of volumes that would include paintings of North American mammals. Audubon acknowledged that Bachman knew far more about the habits of these creatures, so Audubon did the paintings while Bachman wrote nearly all of the text for another massive work on the Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America. These volumes included such exotic species as the American Bison (right), Wolverine, and Musk Ox--animals unknown to the average American citizen--but also documented common mammals such as Eastern Gray Squirrels and White-footed Mice. Bachman--with Audubon's sons--brought the Quadrupeds volumes to press after the old artist's death in 1851.

In Charleston, Bachman married Harriet Martin, who bore him 14 children (nine survived) but suffered chronic tic douloureux. Two years after Harriet herself died in 1846, Bachman married her sister, Maria (1796-1863, at left), who--thanks to encouragement from Audubon--became one of the few women in 19th century America to develop talent in natural history illustration. Maria contributed work for Holbrook's important North American Herpetology (Black Racer at right) and painted background features for Bird of North America and Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America; in fact, she is credited by Audubon for painting the flowers that accompany his illustrations of Bachman's Warbler and Bachman's Sparrow. Critics described Maria Martin's renderings of insects and wildflowers as particularly good in that they coupled scientific accuracy with an artist's sense of color and natural beauty.

The friendship between John Bachman and John James Audubon was only intensified by the marriage of Audubon sons to Bachman daughters: John Woodhouse Audubon wed Maria Rebecca Bachman, and Victor Gifford Audubon married Mary Eliza Bachman. Each couple soon produced a daughter, these named respectively for their grandmothers--Harriet (first wife of Bachman) and Lucy (Audubon's wife, shown at left with the two granddaughters); these two younger Audubon wives died of tuberculosis within a few years of marriage. Among Bachman's other daughters, Eva married William Elnathan Haskell, and Helen Lynch wedded Robert T. Chisolm. In the War Between the States, Bachman's son--Capt. William K. Bachman--commanded Bachman's Battery of South Carolina's Hampton Legion. Another son, Dr. Samuel Wilson Bachman, was in the medical department of the Confederate army.

Despite his dedication to natural history, Bachman was intensely active in church affairs and public education. He helped establish the Lutheran Synod of South Carolina, and twice served as its president (1824-1833, 1839-1840). He helped found the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary at Pomaria SC in 1831, and then Newberry College in 1856. He served the College as its first board president and oversaw the school's development and expansion for many years.

Bachman also took time to write in diverse realms (see Bachman Resources), not the least of which was nearly 59 years' worth of Sunday sermons. His principal religious work was A Defense of Luther and the Reformation (1853), which countered attacks on Protestantism from local Roman Catholics in the Charleston area. He also published several natural history papers, including Two Letters on Hibridity (1850), Notice of the Types of Mankind by Nott and Gliddon (1854), and Examination of Professor Agassiz’s Sketch of the Natural Provinces of the Animal World (1855). He was a frequent contributor to the South Carolina Medical Journal (which included natural history essays), and spoke at science professional meetings on such topics as "The Migration of the Birds of North America" (lecture text above right).

As sectionalism began to disrupt unity in the South, Bachman wrote Characteristics of Genera and Species, as Applicable to the Doctrine of Unity in the Human Race (1864). This radical but scientifically accurate text held that master and slave were the same species, providing a scientific rationale against slavery. Although he held Unionist views, when South Carolina met to enact the Ordinance of Secession, Bachman opened the meeting with a prayer and then minimized his political activities, choosing to spend the war years ministering to the sick & dying.

Bachman was severely beaten and had an arm permanently injured by Union soldiers, and his scientific collections and library--slated for delivery to Newberry College--were destroyed by Sherman’s Army. Bachman died in Charleston SC on 24 February 1874 at the age of 84 years and 20 days. On the day of his interment, bells rang at local churches and all classes were cancelled at the College of Charleston, where he once taught. He is buried in front of the altar in St. John's Lutheran Church (below), and his life and work are commemorated by markers there, at Newberry College, and elsewhere.

Religion and Ministry

It's hard to imagine working for almost six decades of one's life, but the Rev. John Bachman actually served one church--St. John's Lutheran in Charleston, South Carolina (below)--as pastor for 56 YEARS! During that time, Bachman was deeply involved in speaking and writing about theology and religion. He helped establish the Lutheran Synod of South Carolina and twice served as its president (1824-1833 and 1839-1840).

Natural History

Although his primary day job was as a hard-working Lutheran clergyman in Charleston SC, the Rev. John Bachman spent countless hours studying nature and conducting experiments. Among his favorites subjects were wild rabbits, other small mammals, and the many colorful birds he encountered in South Carolina's Lowcountry. He published in scientific journals and frequently gave presentations to professional societies. His notes for a lecture on migration among North American birds are shown above.

Bachman especially found time to associate with a group known as the "Circle of Naturalists," an esteemed group of physicians and natural science devotees--many of whom were on the faculty of the College of Charleston and/or the medical university. These men included John Edwards Holbrook (herpetology), Edmund Ravenel, Lewis Reeve Gibbes, Francis Simmons Holmes, and John McCrady. Because of work done by these men and by Bachman and John James Audubon, antebellum Charleston became one of the most productive centers for natural history research in the Western Hemisphere--rivaling even Philadelphia, Boston, and New York.

Several naturalists saw fit to honor Bachman by naming organisms for him. Most familiar are the Bachman's Warbler, Vermivora bachmanii, and Bachman's Sparrow, Aimophila aestivalis bachmani--both of which Audubon named for his Charleston friend. Audubon also honored Bachman through the a western U.S. shorebird, the Black Oystercatcher, Haematopus bachmani; the Brush Rabbit, Sylvilagus bachmani, related to the Eastern Cottontail; and a southern subspecies of the Eastern Fox Squirrel, Sciurus niger bachmani, which has a black mask and white ears, nose, and paws. Cleveland, Ohio physician and naturalist Dr. Jared P. Kirtland further acknowledged Bachman's natural history contributions by giving the American Snout butterfly the scientific name of Libythaea bachmani.

Audobon Connection

The Rev. John Bachman was also an accomplished naturalist who developed a deep friendship with noted bird painter John James Audubon. Together they wrote and illustrated Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America, a monumental publication about mammals that rivaled Audubon's Birds of North America for beauty and scientific accuracy.

John Bachman's association with John James Audubon began in 1831, when Audubon visited Charleston to sell subscriptions to his monumental Birds of North America. The artist arranged to spend a month at the Bachman home on Rutledge Avenue (above), which was later razed.

Bachman and Audubon spent the next 30 days or so immersed in discussions about Low Country natural history, and Audubon made many visits to Charleston in later years. Through challenging questions and countless hours in the field, each man undoubtedly honed the other's scientific skills and intensified interest in all things natural. Audubon continued to sketch and paint while in Bachman's company and even included antebellum Charleston as the bachdrop for his rendering of Long-billed Curlews (above).

The friendship between John Bachman and John James Audubon was only intensified by the marriage of Audubon sons to Bachman daughters: John Woodhouse Audubon wed Maria Rebecca Bachman (above), and Victor Gifford Audubon married Mary Eliza Bachman (below).

Each couple soon produced a daughter, these named respectively for their grandmothers--Harriet (first wife of Bachman) and Lucy (Audubon's wife, shown below with the two namesake granddaughters). The two Audubon wives died of tuberculosis within a few years of marriage.

As Audubon's bird folios began to sell in Charleston and elsewhere, he and Bachman conceived of another set of volumes that would include paintings of North American mammals. Audubon acknowledged that Bachman--who had made observations and done experiments on native species--knew far more about the habits of these creatures, so Audubon did the paintings while Bachman wrote virtually all of the text for another massive work on the Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America. These volumes included such exotic species as the American Bison (right), Wolverine, and Musk Ox--animals unknown to the average American citizen in the mid-19th century--but also documented common mammals such as Eastern Gray Squirrels, Racoons, White-footed Mice, and White-tailed Deer. Bachman--with Audubon's sons--brought the last of the Quadrupeds volumes to press after the old artist's death in 1851.

Politics and Solical Reform

The Rev. John Bachman considered it a moral responsibility to educate Charlestonians of African descent, so well before the Civil War he set up schools to teach both slaves and freemen how to read and cipher. This was a radical concept in the antebellum South; in fact, not only was it "politically incorrect," it was also against the law (above). Bachman baptized many African Americans at St. John's Lutheran Church; as pastor, his congregation was as much as 40% black.

After the Civil War started, Bachman turned his energies to ministering to the sick and dying--including soldiers at nearby military hospitals (below) and the bereaved families of casualties.

Education & Adademia

The Rev. John Bachman was a firm believer in religious and secular education and played pivotal roles in the establishment of Newberry College (1856, first college building pictured above)--South Carolina's Lutheran-affiliated liberal arts undergraduate institution--and the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS) at Pomaria SC (1830, original building pictured below). Pastors and other church professionals are still trained at LTSS, which is now in Columbia SC about 40 miles from Newberry

Timeline

Reference

• John Bachman: A Life of Service, a short biographical sketch written in the late 1970s by Mary Bachman Hoover, Bachman's granddaughter
• [John Bachman Website]

See Also

• Newberry College website. This school was founded by John Bachman.